“Men who hide marital assets are usually counting on their wives reacting with emotion instead of strategy,” Abigail explained. “Let him keep thinking he’s in control.”
For ten grueling days, Gretchen played exactly the role Joshua expected.
She nodded along to his talk of mutual respect, agreed readily to sell the house, and sat through a dinner at an upscale Minnetonka restaurant where he acted as if they were simply two adults closing a chapter with grace.
“I think we’ve handled this better than most couples,” Joshua remarked over his meal.
“Do you really think you’ve been fair to me through this?” Gretchen asked evenly.
He paused a beat too long before answering.
“We both made mistakes along the way,” he said smoothly.
Gretchen understood then that his real flaw was never just the cheating or the greed. It was his certainty that he could manage everyone’s feelings around him.
Meanwhile, Abigail and a forensic accountant traced the money — corporate bonuses funneled through a shell company, personal spending disguised as consulting fees, a secret apartment lease in St. Paul, jewelry, resort trips.
The final blow landed on a rainy Tuesday afternoon.
Gretchen was sitting in her car outside a grocery store when Abigail called.
